Zen had kept to herself for a few days, hiding in her room at the inn to avoid any unwanted attention after a bit of an incident in the main square of Truce. Ultimately her attempts to defuse the tensions of a confrontation that had occurred had fallen -very- flat.

It had been incredibly embarrassing, and very against her mission statement of laying low and observing the people of The Cleft. But no, she had turned into a T-Rex to scare away bystanders and had hoped to distract those in the conflict but all she had done was scare someone that had seemed nice and wanted to talk, and...well technically had scared off the bystanders too but it still didn't feel like a win. She hoped that Deacon wouldn't get upset with her.

Now she was sitting at a table in the tavern, folder open in front of her with sheet music spread out on the table. At least that is what it looked like. Yes it was a playable song but she had created this code herself for keeping notes on her missions. Idly she twirled a quill between her fingers. That first day aside, what she had seen so far looked nice, this world seemed stable, but her boss had indicated there was some unrest, beyond personal ones at least.

"I hope nothing cataclysmic happens any time soon..." She muttered to herself before taking a sip of tea from the cup next to her papers.

The delicate elven woman set her cup back down and tapped her quill against her lower lip thoughtfully, her attention drifting off to the last cataclysm she had had to help deal with. It had been horrible, but if nothing else it had allowed her to grow, both as a person and as a bard and fighter.

So many hours of missions, so many different situations, so many problems they had solved. As much as her purpose here was to be of assistance, it was nice to think that perhaps this mission would be a nice relaxing one.

The fingers of her free hand found the teardrop earring on her left ear, and idly fiddled with it. She found herself wondering if Deacon was going stir crazy yet. When he had returned the chef medical officer and the junior Rift Master had decided that he would need a week of quarantine. He didn't, but they were determined to keep his from getting back to his office since he cut his vacation short.

She shook her head a little, her gaze shifting around the tavern. It was funny how taverns seemed so similar across so many worlds. She sighed a little and returned her attention to her sheet music.

There's a bit of a scuffle outside, followed by a meek-sounding female apologizing to someone (or someones) in the first-person amidst a couple of frustrated grunts and comments such as "Watch where you're going," and "You're in the way." There's the sound of what might be a horse clopping on by, which stops nearby for just a second, then continues on past... but only to come around the side of the building, where the hooves keep going.

In one of the windows, a girl's face suddenly peeks in, hands over her amber eyes as if trying to get a better look through the not-as-clean-as-they-should-be windows. Tousled white hair frames her face, and equine ears are flattened slightly against the top of her head, as if she knows she's probably being rude and is worried about getting in trouble at any moment.

Zen was about to reach for her tea again when she noticed the face peering in through the window and froze as if she had just been caught red handed doing something she wasn't supposed to.

There was a moment of eye contact between the pale elf and the centaur woman and Zen felt a fresh wave of guilt over spooking her previously. Slowly she lifted a hand and gave a little finger wave to the timid equine woman. At least she appeared to be okay.

As soon as she spots Zen and, moreso, is acknowledged, those amber eyes get real big and a grin spreads across her face; said face abruptly disappears from the window, as the sound of horse hooves clatter their way back around to the other side of the building, near the front entrance, where they stop. And there is a long pause, followed by some muffled-but-still-audible words. "Ah... miv sa na vana..." The voice sounds a little distressed, but then speaks up again, a bit louder, from just outside the door. "Zen-koshu! Gamdo tu'i animcho'ten?" There is a hopeful tone in her voice.

"I'll be there in a moment. Don't force yourself." Zen calls back, though it could barely be considered that considering it's low volume. She quickly gathers up her papers and places them carefully in the folder and tucks said folder away in her pack.

Shouldering her pack she got up from the booth and made her way over to the front door of the tavern, stepping outside.

When she spoke she did so in a soft tone and peered up at the centaur. "You wished to speak? Would you prefer I speak Sylvan? I can if you wish."There may have been slight differences between the sylvan language she was familiar with and what the centaur spoke, but they were close enough she could understand nearly all that was said.

Alyss beams the biggest smile at Zen as she steps outside, and for a second, looks like she might just hug the slender elven woman. She abstains, though, because that's rude without asking. "Alyss talk, normal!" she said, her accent heavy on the words in their broken state. "Alyss understand words, not worried. Zen-koshu understand Alyss good, also not worried." She puts her hands together, that smile of hers not fading in the least. "Thankful! Alyss not get talk before. Monster come, scare people. Alyss scared, run." The phrasing seems to imply that she doesn't actually realize that Zen had been the monster.

"Zen-koshu tell, not from Terra? Other place?" Alyss tilts her head slightly. "Also centaur, other place?"

"I am from a world called Toril originally, and yes, there were centaurs. Actually I've worked with a gentleman called Arvan who served as a tempest cleric. Fairly big fellow with a dark coat." By coat she was of course referring to the fur on the horse half of the person in question.

"You have been calling me a world elf. I'm curious if maybe a few words of your sylvan and my sylvan are slightly different. Where I come from, I'm referred to as a wood elf.."

She claps her hands together happily. "Toril!" she exclaims. "Yes! Alyss remember. Centaur big, but men. Centaur women, big, but not..." She thinks for a moment, trying to remember the common word, but can't seem to recall it. "Ah.. not 'yakru' big. Alyss herd, centaur men, bigger than centaur women. Strong!" Her tail swishes about a bit, one of her back hooves idly scraping at the cobbled road below them.

"Alyss say 'Zen-koshu', 'world elf'," she explains. "Terra, 'wood elf' important, whole world! So, 'world elf'. Centaur name, title. Important! Alyss know, different, but title also important. Alyss use title, 'Zen-koshu'."

Zen looked a little shy about the honorific. "Oh, I understand...that is...very grand sounding." She wasn't really keen on having a title, but it seemed important to Alyss so she let it go.

"So you don't come across people that understand Sylvan very often here?" She asked curiously. If what Deacon had told her about this place was true, there must be a TON of languages in use all over the place.

Alyss shook her head. "Only centaur! Ah..." she hesitates, looking a little downcast. "Jules... not speak, but understand. Earring, translate, understand Alyss." Something in there brought her mood down, but she doesn't make it very apparent as to what it is. She shakes her head again after a second, not really recouping all of her mood, but at least a fair share of it as she pipes up again. "Alyss see people, speak words, this. 'Normal words,' everyone speak. Alyss know, too, but little. 'Wood elves' speak normal, Alyss learn."

Zen "Oh, I see." The willowy elf said softly, she could only imagine what it must be like for someone to have nearly no one that shared their language.

"Well, if you ever need help knowing that a word would be in sylvan, and I happen to be around, I'd be happy to help." Surely blending in as a tutor would be safe enough to do. She certainly wasn't expected to sit around twiddling her thumbs the entire time she was in this world.

Her smiles returns, as bright as it was before. "Miv sa o'akin!" she gushes, switching back in what was probably playful intent. "Alyss herd here, year long. Still learn, lots things. Hiding, Rabite Forest, safe. Dangerous things everywhere, not take chance." She thinks for a second, as something else comes to mind. "Zen-koshu, Toril have fae? Little?" She holds up her hand, holding her fingers apart by what is probably about two inches or so.

Zen nodded and smiled. "Yes, many kinds. Most common are Pixies. At least for those that summon. But there is an entire fae wyld, So man types. It would take a long time to list them all. Pseudragons are also quite beloved."

She smiled a little, being asked about Toril was sorta nice, it had been so long since anyone had really shown much interest in her world. Or anything to do with her, most of the other planeswalkers forgot she existed most of the time.

"Oh, lots different!" Alyss chirps. "Alyss not know 'pseudragons', new! But Terra, all fae, but different kinds!" She proceeds to list off several different things, using her fingers as expressive indicators as she speaks. "Lots fae, Terra have, Lightholmes, Darkholmes, Peacewings, Blazetips, Flowspirits, Heartlights, Breezelings. Also whitelings, special! 'Wood elf' call 'familiar', Alyss remember hear. Toril sound lots like Terra! Zen-koshu lost, too? Go back someday?" All of this just kind of pours out of her like a sink that had overflowed from the faucet being left on too long.

"No, I'm not lost. I just travel a lot. I try to help people. But you are right, Toril and Terra sound very similar. I might go home some day, but it probably won't be for a long while I have a lot more traveling to do and a lot of time to do it. Do your World Elves live a long time?" Zen was getting pulled into the conversation pretty easily. The fact Alyss seemed pretty similar to herself not only in world origin, but in temper certainly helped. She didn't seem as intimidating as most others did.

"What other things do you have on Terra? Dragons? Krakens? Beholders?"

"Mmm..." she mmm's. It seems to take her a few seconds to come up with a response. "Alyss hear, dragons... not know other things. But, Alyss also home lots, 'Ymir', akri." The last word slips out almost accidentally, like she didn't know what else to call it in a common form. "Bloodhoof, too, cruel centaur. Dangerous, kill, torture. Not give reason. Windrunner enemy, always fight."
March 29, 2024

"There are dangerous centaurs back in my home too. What about dwarves? Halflings? Perhaps a tiefling?" She asked curiously. She would have been taking down notes if she had her folder in hand and a surface to write on, but for the time being mental notes it was, she could add the information into her physical notes later.

She nods agreeably. "'Dwarves', centaur name, 'Duduwako'. Short, beard? Alyss see before, but rare, not in Ymir lots. Ymir elves, fae, centaur, not good place, duduwako." She considers for a moment, trying to see if those other things ring a bell. "Alyss not know... 'halfling'... 'teethling'. Not hear." She frowns a bit, remembering something else. "Terra have 'nomen', Alyss hear, called 'Gnomes'. Bad, strange machines, bad things. Nobody like nomen, all hate."

"Oh..in Toril gnomes are very smart and make machines there too, but it isn't the machines that are evil, it's the individuals that make them that way. Lots of machines are actually very helpful where I come from."

Zen paused and peers at Alyss. "Are you not able to go home?"

This question makes Alyss really sad. Like, immediately. "Bir..." she says, lowering her eyes. "Miv sa ga'imosha... na veri'nu akri. Su ta na veri'nu akri."

She sighs. "Jules... help," she said. "Make better for Alyss, for herd. But..." she trails off, still sounding sad.

Zen frowned, she didn't mean to bring the woman's mood down, but she was also told not to mention the fact that she had the ability to leave here, lest it cause people to try and force her to take them away from this world.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you...But there is always hope that you'll find your way. Right?" She felt guilty, if this world was full of people that wanted to leave but couldn't, wasn't it the duty of the planeswalkers to help them? She didn't understand why Deacon wasn't offering assistance.

"Maybe I can help somehow. I'm not sure how, but I'm willing to try."

"No leave," she said, looking up once more. She was still sad, but also had a bit of determination come in. "Big gate, pull Alyss, herd inside. Not come back. Centaur not wizard, not cast spell, go home. Herd 'frustrate' but understand, make new home. Just time. Be sad, but accept. Have to, Zen-koshu know? Hard things, 'deal with', get stronger."

Zen lowered her gaze a little, a faint frown flitting across her lips. "I understand that. I've been through some hard things too, and I know I'm stronger than when I started....but that doesn't make it hurt less. I think maybe you just get to a point where the hurt is there all the time, but you can tuck it away in a quiet place in your soul and let it exist. Always a part of you, but never forgotten."

She'd seen her home brought to the brink of complete destruction, all the while believing it had been her fault. Even friends sometimes hurt each other without realizing it.

"Well...while I'm here, if you need help with something...I can help. Somehow."

She seems to remember something Zen said, and backs herself up just a bit. "Centaur live... while." She pauses, trying to think of a word to use. "Ten tens, years. Ilvis-Terra-koshu, live lots more, lots tens of lots tens." She tilts her head slightly, a good chunk of her erstwhile sadness having diminished. "Zen-koshu have friends? Need friends? Alyss friend." She pauses again to think, because this whole 'common tongue' thing is hard. "Zen-koshu ju'il lasho'ilwa ju ru'koki," she enunciates, smiling a little bit. "Miv sa tunsi aan o'akin ju vivra Zen-koshu. Ku'an yakru vashippu!"

Zen looked up and met Alyss' gaze "Thank you, I'm here alone right now, but there is a chance some of my friends may arrive one day." Her had selected her words carefully as she could, but she didn't like deception as a general rule, be it by misdirection or omission.

"It would be nice to have a friend...I noticed your bow, you are an archer as well?" She asked hoping to shift the topic a bit.

The proud look that immediately spreads over her features could not be more obvious. "Keo!" she said. "Miv sa yakru prokeshi!" She pauses in this small boast, something in Zen's words seeming to register to her. "Zen-koshu, too?"

Zen gestured back over her right shoulder where her own bow was secured against the side of her pack opposite to her bandore, but along side her quiver. The bow itself was of a braceful bleach white wood and featured some silvery highlights in the grain.

"I'm also an archer, seems we have more than just a language in common." She offered up a gentle smile to the other woman. "Bow, arrow and magical song are my weapons of choice. Though I prefer they not have to be weapons at all."

Alyss seems a little startled, like she can't believe she didn't actually notice the bow and arrows until just now. Something else, though, in Zen's choice of words catches her attention. "Magic song? Zen-koshu siren?" she asks, looking intrigued. "Alyss hear, siren song, lots things happen. Good things, bad things, lots things."

Zen chuckled softly and shook her head. "No, not a siren, though I guess it could be considered similar." She reached back and claimed the bandore from it's place over her left shoulder and showed the instrument to her new friend.

"I play this. But when magic is needed urgently I just whistle the tune required for the spell I need. I much prefer playing though. I find it relaxing and peaceful." The bandore was likewise, made of pale wood, but it was decorated far more lavishly than the bow. Mother of pearl and ivory accents made the instrument as much a work of art as it was a tool to create such.

She let her fingers play across the strings, creating a delicate chord that drifted through the air like a dandelion fluff on the breeze. "Do you like music?"

She looks at the instrument for a moment, some of the connections being put together in her head. She doesn't recognize the instrument, but she does recognize it as an instrument, and that's good enough. "Zen-koshu, bard?" she asks, looking from the instrument to Zen herself. "Alyss like music, drums. Big beat, loud. Remind Alyss, centaur hooves, run to battle! 'Wood elf' different music, flute. Nice sound, but not drums."

"I think music is always better with more than one instrument. Drums are like the heart of a song, keeping the pace, driving it forward. So I can appreciate them just as much as a string instrument or a wind one."

She peers up at Alyss. "It is nice to have someone to talk about things like this. Not many spe-spoke to me back home."

Her good humor fades just a little bit, and she nods. "Alyss know. Music good, different. All kinds good, drums best. Like hear, beat loud." She pivots slightly, hooves brush across the street as she glances over her shoulder toward the west. "Alyss hard, talk, discuss, figure out home. Not know lots, here. Scary place, lots danger." Her expression looks unreadable for a few moments as she continues to peer westward. "Jules help lots. Show Alyss, different things, world not all bad, not all scary. Jules... friend. But gone." She hesitates briefly, her equine ears flattening against her head to betray what she's actually feeling, despite her expression holding steady. "Other home. Not stay here. Not want... Alyss. Give problems, better without."

She turns back around, ears lifting slightly, but not entirely. "Alyss sorry, Zen-koshu," she said, amber eyes somewhat unfocused. "Zen-koshu travel, self? Alone?"

The willowy woman nodded slightly "Alone at the moment, yes." She honestly had no idea what all of that had been. The best she could interpret was that her friend Jules who had been with her and helped her a lot, had left, and she was trying to convince herself that it was for the best.

"You mentioned this place is dangerous, " She paused to look around the street outside of the inn she was currently staying at. "It seems pretty safe at the moment...what dangers are there?"

"Random," she said, not really sounding completely sure, herself. Her ears perk back up, though. "Before, remember? Scary man, scary monster, right here! City!" She gestures a little bit with one hand back north toward the fountain square. It really seems apparent that she doesn't know Zen was the 'scary monster' at that time. "But monsters, too. Rabite Forest, not big scary, but other places, bigger scary. Alyss fight goblins once, bite hard. Big ouch."

She was rahter curious about the man that she had made the delivery to. "The scary man, why was he angry at you and your friend? Is he always like that? He seemed upset at the sprite that was with you and your friend."

She wasnt entirely certain how far she could follow the line of questioning, but learning a bit about some of the other people in this place seemed like a good idea overall.

Her ears flatten out again, remembering. "Alyss not know," she said, looking uncertain. "Alyss not listen lots, but know Sylvan here, sometimes. Tell Jules 'not be lazy!', Jules upset. Jules mad, leave city. Scary man, yell at Jules, Alyss not know why. Alyss worry fight, not want Jules hurt, or hurt scary man." She puts her hands together, lacing her fingers between themselves. "Jules, Alyss, have 'system', Jules call. Make words with hands, know symbol, react with no words. Jules promise Alyss, no hurt, only run when danger. Alyss, Jules, run from scary man. Scary man yell, bad words, Alyss good hearing. Not know 'stepladder', Alyss confused, but run, Rabite Forest. " She frowns. "Alyss tell Zen-koshu, danger random. Not know, just happen, anywhere."

"Oh..." She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Maybe it was some sort of misunderstanding?" She wasn't certain what else to say about the matter. "Well..." She paused again and considered. "Would you like to have a meal? Perhaps we can get food from the inn that we can take elsewhere. A picnic of sorts. You can tell me all about yourself and this place."

She felt bad for the poor centaur and thought perhaps maybe a picnic would brighten her mood a little. "My treat."

The centaur girl brightens at this prospect. "'Oh-kay!' she said, sounding the word out as though it wasn't one she used very often. "Alyss not eat yet, herd maybe still hunt." She offers a small grin. "Alyss sneak, leave, want go see Zen-koshu still here, city. Lucky!"

Zen's own demeanour brightened as she set her instrument back onto her back. "What sort of foods do you like most? I wouldn't want to get us a mean you wouldn't enjoy." She pivoted slightly, angling back toward the inn's main entrance.

She glances back toward the inn's front door, one of her ears flicking. "Herd tell Alyss, try eat lots," she explains. "But Alyss like fruits, vegetables most. Meat good, sometimes, not lots." Her eyes widen a bit. "Alyss remember! 'Wood elf' put vegetables, lots, together. Mix, call 'salad', Alyss think? Hard, remember. Alyss think, best idea!"

Zen had always been a vegetarian so the suggestion of salad was more than welcome and she smiled. "Okay, give me one moment and I'll get us something appropriate. I'll be right back."

She turned and headed back into the tavern and walked over to the counter, putting in a request of a fresh garden salad and some fresh cut fruit as a sort of dessert. Once the meals had been gathered and packaged she quickly paid and hurried back outside to her new friend.

"Okay, I'm ready, do you have a spot nearby you would like to eat?" She held the basket in front of her with both hands and scanned the immediate area curiously.

Alyss is busy looking back over toward the west with a somewhat-untraceable expression when Zen came back out and, as such, looks a little startled at the sudden readiness admission. "Oh! Done?" she asks, smiling again. "Alyss know place. Jules show, quiet, peaceful. Zen-koshu follow!" The centaur turns, then, and begins to make her way south, toward the southern gate of the city. "Big field outside, remind Alyss, Ymir. Wide, big, open."

Zen followed alongside her new friend, her steps light, barely making a sound as they stroll along. As she walked she set to memory some of the city's layout, taking note of where certain buildings were located, the general demeanour of the populace and the city's defenses in case she needed to make suggestions as to how one might better them.

"So far this city seems quite nice. A field of flowers however, that would likely put the city to shame. I grew up in a pretty dense forest, big open fields are always so awe inspiring."

Alyss nods as they reach the city gate, opening up to a fairly large field beyond and to the discernible south; a beaten path leads due south from there toward what looks like hilly and possibly mountainous terrain in the far south, and on either side of that path is grass, the occasional tree, and a few farming homesteads. A small village can also be seen a ways to the southeast. As if on cue, a little bit of wind rustles on by, and this causes Alyss to smile happily. "Alyss surprised, Jules show," she said. "Some snakes, sometimes. Also, birds mean, try steal food. But just smack, slap, 'go away!', works. Not have everything, all times. But good, peaceful. We sit here? Zen-koshu okay?"

Zen's gaze panned across the fields and she smiled faintly. It was lovely here. She paused for a moment and enjoyed the breeze as it rustled her hair, the feel of the sun on her face.

"Yeah, I'm okay. This is wonderful."

She set both her pack and her backet of food down before she rummaged around in her pack, or at least it seemed as though she was rummaging, in all actuality the large checkered blanket was simply deposited into her hands by the magic of her bag of holding before she turned to spread it out on the grass.

"Do you eat out here often?" She inquired curiously as she moved her pack and the basket onto the blanket and settled herself down on it. The blanket was plenty large enough to accommodate her larger companion.

Alyss takes a good several moments, not including the temporary confusion about actually being suggested that she could sit on the blanket instead of the grass, which was apparently a very wild idea to her, and actually preps herself to 'sit'; she carefully lowers her rump down, and then 'tucks' her legs under herself in a sort of side-sit that doesn't put pressure on them, and then carefully lowers herself the rest of the way to the ground, folding her forelegs back in and adapting a posture that's not-entirely-different than the way a dog or cat might 'lie down'. It's a very odd stance for a horse, of all things, and not at all what anyone would probably be able to expect them to do, but she seems comfortable enough and actually smiles at the feeling of the blanket underneath. "This nice," she said. "Blanket soft, thin pillow." She squirms just a bit, before settling into place. "Alyss eat, herd. Eat together, safe. No surprise, no scare, little danger. Not trust place yet. Stay together, survive. Windrunner clan, always protect. Centaur honor. Alyss, too, even if little."

opened the basket and pulled out the containers of garden salad, and forks with which to eat it, extending one of the bowls over to Alyss.

"Here you go, it smells as though it is very fresh so I hope it is enjoyable." She pulled out a bowl of her own and settled in, enjoying the warm sun rays and the pleasant breeze.

"I can't even remember the last time I had the chance to have a picnic, especially not out in such a lovely field." Her gaze drifted up toward the clear skies.

She takes the bowl, looking at it in mild amazement, like she'd never seen one up close before. "Lots, different!" she exclaims. She takes a couple of pieces of lettuce out with her fingers and eats it, her face an expression of consideration. "Roven sa japo'ta! Roven sa na da'so hu da'ir!" She finishes chewing and swallows, both ears flicking as the grin on her face grows. "Miv sa o'akin!"

"I am glad you like it." She reached up and tucked some of her white hair back behind a pointed ear so the wind would have a harder time blowing it into her way as she was trying to eat.

"I brought fruit as dessert. Berries, apples, and a few peaches. And a little container of sugar if you are want to dust the fruit with it." She took a bite of her salad and enjoyed the cool crispness of it.

"May I ask how long you have been here?"

Perhaps not unexpectedly, Alyss uses her hands to bring the food from the bowl to her mouth, and appears to be enjoying absolutely every minute of it, occasionally letting out a small gasp when she gets a small treasure like a slice of tomato or a bit of carrot amongst the greens. The description of the dessert lights up her eyes even further, but then that specific question, while not bringing her down, specifically, does lift her back off her high horse (pun possibly intended) a notch or two and back down to normal. "Herd here... while?" she said, thoughtfully. "Not know, time, but see all seasons once. Cold gone, now get warm again. But cold not hard, centaur strong, cold. Not bother lots. Hunt hard, cold weather; not lots food, animals. But survive. Windrunner strong, survive."

"So seeing all seasons once is called a "year" or perhaps a "cycle" in some places." She said conversationally "I am glad to hear your herd was able to manage in this place over the winter. Winter is a challenge everywhere I think. Perhaps a little more so for those that aren't inclined to eat meat often."

She took another bite and smiled to herself "Unless you are good at finding snowberries I suppose." *Zen took a moment to reach into the basket and pull out the bowl of cut fruit and a little dish of granulated sugar.

"I don't remember having many tough winters back in Unicorn Run, my home forest. It was lovely there."

Alyss tilts her head slightly to one side, a larger piece of lettuce sticking out of the side of her mouth. "U'icorm?" she asks, a bit muffled by the stray leaf.

She does kind of a quick 'inhale' and pulls the leaf into her mouth, so she can speak freely again. "Alyss not hear, 'Unicorn'?" she half-asks. "Or just name, home?"

Zen lifted a delicate hand, palm up and gave a short series of three notes in the form of a light soft whistle, the illusion of a unicorn forming in the air above her hand, running.

"This is a unicorn. They are magical creatures of great good, where I'm from. Many of them lived in the forest I called home, so that forest was named after them."

Alyss looks amazed, reaching out to try and gently touch the image, which very likely yields no results, and then looks at her fingers when she realizes she didn't touch anything. "Horse... horn?" she asks. "Hurt? Look like big ouch, stab."

Zen giggled a little and allowed the little illusion to stop and rear up. "Normally they didn't use it for violence, think of it as..." She paused a moment and considered.

"I suppose it is a bit like their wand, for magic." it was the best thing that she could think of to liken it to.

"They were very peaceful, their magics leaned toward healing, but they were not afraid to defend their home either. Some people who weren't very familiar with them thought they were mean, but I never had a bad encounter with them."

"Centaur, Terra, all fighter," Alyss said, after a moment of consideration in Zen's words. "Not magic, spells. 'Wood elf' magic." Alyss' ears perk, apparently remembering something. "Oh, fae magic, too. But... different. Fae spells, meeeeean." She elongates the word, for emphasis. "Fae nice, good friends, centaur, 'Wood Elf'. But if fae angry, use magic, bad things happen. Regret."

Alyss' ears flick slightly, as she recalls something else, countering herself a second time. "Oh, Alyss forget, mistake," she corrects. "'Greenlight Warder' clan, magic. Centaur, but magic. Planet, world magic. Trees, plants, ground. All nature. But also fighter, like Windrunner clan."

Zen took a moment to examine their surroundings and was happy to see a matured dandelion nearby and reached over to pluck a single of the little fluffs that was tenuously clinging to the flower. She held it up for Alyss to see.

"Plant and earth magic is something that is present in Toril as well." She let out a soft little whistle and the dandelion seed grew and bloomed in her hand into a sunny yellow flower indicative of it's mid life stage, she then offered it to Alyss.

"Oh!" she said, accepting the dandelion. "Alyss see before! Same kind, grow! Important magic, help fix, bad things happen. Storm, fire. Destroy, magic help fix, grow. Alyss glad, know same! Zen good magic, good person." And she expresses that gladness by popping the dandelion in her mouth and consuming it, looking pleased with herself as she does so. "Alyss thankful!"

Zen couldn't help but giggle a little. "I'm glad you approve." She finished her salad and set the bowl aside. She selected a slice of peach and took a moment to roll one end of the slice around in the little bowl of granulated sugar and offered it to Alyss, just in case the centaur wasn't sure how to go about enjoying this particular dessert, she hoped the demonstration would help avoid any misunderstandings.

"Here, try this. I think you might enjoy it more than the dandelion."

Her eyes light up again when the peach is offered, and doesn't actually accept it in the way Zen is probably intending; when asked to 'try this', Alyss takes this offer up in the most literal way possible, and leans forward to take a bite of the offered fruit slice while Zen is still holding onto it, being careful to try and not make a mess (or get fingers, obviously). Pulling her head back, and she blinks once at the increased sweetness factor of having dabbed it in sugar, unabashedly taken by surprise. "More shweet!" she chirped with a mouthful of peach, pleased as can be. She finished chewing and swallowed before speaking further, but whether it was because she didn't want to be rude or the food in her mouth just made it difficult to speak properly wasn't obvious. "Sugar not lots, Ymir. Fruit, sweet, but sometimes sour. Alyss not mind, good balance, vegetables, fruit." She pauses, then adds, "Zen-koshu, cook, good?"

"I can cook, but I'm no chef." She was amused by Alyss' antics and reached out to take the centaur's hand and place the second half of the peach slice in it.

"Normally I just make food good enough to fill my belly. Rarely do I make anything impressive or complex. Mostly because my work has me traveling a lot. So anything that I can eat on the move is normally what I have."

She looks down at the peach bit in her hand, then at Zen, nodding but not looking like she fully understands. "Zen-koshu say travel, lots," she inquired, "but have home, too? Not like home, travel instead? Miss family?" She pops the remaining peach in her mouth afterward, chewing happily like this was just the greatest thing ever. Heck, maybe it was.

"I do have a home, but the work I do sends me all over the place to help people, and then I go back. It's a busy life, but I got to help a lot of people, so I didn't mind."

She paused and considered the question about family. "I don't remember parents, but my new family are nice people. They help others like I do..." There seemed to be a bit of something that was left unsaid.

If there was intent to leave certain things in the dark, Alyss apparently didn't pick up on that. Curiosity is a troublesome thing, at times. "Zen-koshu not know parents?" she asked, like she didn't know that could actually be a thing. "Not know birth? Family? Alyss know. Have..." She stops, the what-should-have-been-obvious realization just now hitting her. "...but gone. Alyss family, not come. Stay Ymir, left. Still home."

"I grew up without parents. I don't know exactly what happened to them. As far back as I can recall I was mostly alone, save for the uniforns and animals of the forest. I never did find out what happened, or why I was left there. But it was a peaceful life with little heartship, so I can't really complain."

"She paused a moment and looked over at Alyss. "But, I am sorry to hear of your family. I do hope perhaps you get to see them again one day. There is always that chance."

Alyss hangs her head slightly. It's hard to tell if she actually believes Zen's words or not, and she doesn't speak on it one way or another. "Alyss okay," she eventually said. "Alyss survive. Zen-koshu, too. All survive. Zen-koshu, friend? Alyss thankful for..." she pauses, trying to remember what that word was. "...'Pick Nick'? Food, blanket. Happy, comfortable."
March 30, 2024

The elven woman nodded "A picnic, yes. And...I would like to consider you a friend, if that is okay. I've very much enjoyed our conversations. I'm glad you feel comfortable."

She reached down and took an apple slice and took a tiny bite. "If you want, we can do this again. I find it quite enjoyable. Especially out here. The city is nice but being out in nature is my preference."

Alyss gives a nod, and while she does enjoy fruit to a fairly-significant degree, something in Zen's comment pulls her attention up and outward, her eyes scanning the field beyond the two of them sitting out there in it. "Miv sa vivra roven sa yakru iresmi koshu," she said, one ear flicking lightly. "Gorvin sa keo'su ju na orishu ju Hokenra ju 'Rabite' in'in'dis, aan miv sa rabutumi ju niss'ta gaborushik, aan'i. Miv sa kabore rabutumi ju vivra ru ta ilminjusto ju tivakris."

"I can understand that, we all just want our loved ones to be safe and happy. And that can be challenge sometimes. Come to think of it..." She paused and thought on the matter for a long moment. "I believe most of the centaur clans back in my home were fairly nomadic."

She shifted and pulled her bandore onto her lap, and tested the tuning by plucking the strings lightly. "Sometimes the journey to find a home can become the home itself."

Her attention returns to Zen, perhaps from the movements. She reaches out to take a piece of fruit, herself, and happily munches on it, a look of generic happiness present on her face from such a simple pleasure. "Ymir herd, group. Clans. 'Greenlight Warder' clan, south Ymir. 'Windrunner' clan, Alyss clan, north Ymir." She frowns a little bit, her ears flattening again. "'Bloodhoof' clan, east Ymir, but wander, lots. Look for fights, aggressive. WIndrunner, Greenlight Warder clans, alliance, pact. Bloodhoof try break, try kill Greenlight Warder Ta'invorna, say 'prophecy'. Alyss not know, centaur business, not Alyss. Alyss little, not important." It's not readily apparent why she went into this spiel, all of a sudden, but perhaps her thoughts were jarred loose by something else. She does seem a little airheaded, at times.

"Has anyone tried to negotiate a peace? Or are the Bloodhooves not willing to entertain that thought?" Zen's gaze went from the string of her instrument over to Alyss.

She had no actual grasp of the politics of a foreign land's centaurs, but her time working for Deacon had caused her to develop some knee jerk reactions to conflicts. Namely, serving as mediator, since that was often a role the planeswalkers took on when it came to disagreements on the worlds they visited.

"I know it is none of my business, but if mediation is needed, I could offer my services."

Alyss' expression is kind of blank, since she doesn't know how Zen could actually do that, being here instead of there. It's highly likely that she, herself, probably has not yet grasped the fact that Zen is capable of going pretty much wherever she wants, whenever she wants, unlike herself. But she decides to keep talking, anyway, because Zen's earlier comment was correct; it is nice to be able to have someone else to talk to about things. "Bloodhoof not care, mean, cruel. Kill, not capture, always death." She pauses for a second and, actually, cranes herself around and retrieves the quiver of arrows she'd set down next to her bow on the grass alongside the blanket. She withdraws a single arrow from it, and offers the arrow to Zen, the tip of which is stained with a very dark purple blotch of color. "'Apex Poison'," she explains. "Strong, kill centaur easy. Bloodhoof use, but Windrunner, Greenlight Ward clans steal, learn, use for self. All centaur use, now. Centaur strong, take lots beating, hard kill. Apex Poison, easy kill." For being such a brutal topic, she's explaining all of this as if it were a secondhand school lesson.

Zen accepted the arrow carefully and brought tip up to her eyes to inspect closely, also sparing it the briefest of whiffs.

"It sounds a lot like the poison of a giant worm we have back home. The Purple Worm is a massive creature that tends to live in arid places and is a similar hue to this." She tilted her chin to the arrow's tip.

"Very potent, may I ask what kind of creature this is derived from?" She offered the arrow back to Alyss, fletching first, to be on the safe side. Zen was oblivious to the fact that she had misunderstood, she had thought that perhaps members of all of the herds had been brought to this world and the conflict was taking part here in The Cleft.

"I tend not to use poisons, but I do carry things to treat them."

Alyss looks a little surprised at being offered the arrow back, like she was expecting it would be taken as a gift (a very odd gift, but still a gift), but accepts it back and replaces it in her quiver with the others. "Lilith blood," she said, placing her hands together on her right foreleg as she resumes the conversation. "Lilith, demon princess. Dark magic, bad spells, but good person. Sage. Give knowledge, lots people. Blood, centaur call 'Apex Poison', very bad, very strong. Lilith not happy, blood used for war, but not can take back. Bloodhoof steal, figure out, make for selves." She seems to remember a word being used, and it's clear that the gears are turning at top speed to try and remember it. "'Rep...luh...cate.' Make more. Centaur lucky, Lilith not get revenge, make Ymir not exist." She lifts one hand up, snapping her fingers. "Gone! Lilith strong, live long time, see many things. Sage."

Zen seemed a little confused "So, is this Lilith here? Or is all this happening back on your original home? Where I come from Demons are evil, sometimes they will act like a friend to try and trick you, but they always have their own evil plan in the end."

He turned ehr gaze to Alyss' quiver again. "Did you figure out how to replicate it as well? Or do you have a limited supply? Is there an antidote for it?"

"If antidote, Alyss not know," she said, shaking her head. "Alyss little, not know lots. Elders know if antidote, but back, Ymir, not here. Alyss know, poison fast, always dead fast. Maybe too fast, antidote. Not know." She smiles, an odd feature considering the topic. "Alyss not replicate, not know how. Herd, maybe, not know. All centaur have, lots arrows, not run out, long time. Not use, little animals. Waste. Lilith good person, maybe people not understand. Alyss hear word, 'eccentric', not know what mean. Lilith bad father, maybe reason. Experiment on Lilith, bad things, science. Asmodeus, demon king, but dead, long time. People kill, long time ago. Lilith still here, also experiments, but not bad like father. People maybe not understand, make guesses, assume bad. Alyss not know. Little! Lilith home, live library, archive."

"That is a lot of information to take in. What happens if someone accidentally hurts themself with a poisoned arrow?" Her concern was evident.

"Something as simple as a bowstring snapping could end with an arrow having nicked you. You should always carry an antidote for any poisons you use. Just in case."

She promptly set aside her bandore and reached over to her pack, producing a tiny little jar. "Just in case, this can be put on a wound, or swallowed to heal, stop a poison, and cure any disease. I'd like you to have it. It's called Keoghtom's ointment." She extended the tiny little jar out to Alyss, her expression one of caring concern.

"Sometimes happen," Alyss explains, on the comment about accidentally harming oneself. "Grab arrow, poke self. Ouch bad, but medicine quick, not dead. Little bit, scratch, not same as arrow in body. Arrow in body, dead, get all poison inside." She's about to continue when Zen brought out the jar and offered it with the explanation; once again, Alyss looks surprised. This World Elf certainly knew a lot of things and was ready with all sorts of things that she'd never even considered thinking about. There's a trace of hesitation, but she does eventually reach out and except it, holding it up a few inches in front of her face, going semi-crosseyed as her amber eyes peer down upon its contents. "Magic?" she asks, enthused. "Kingdom ointment?"

"It does have a magical component to it I think. I can't make it myself however, it's a bit too complicated for me. But there is enough in there for three uses. I hope it will help when you need it the most." she folded her hands in her lap and looked at Alyss, she got the impression the centaur woman may think she was a little strange at this point, but she didn't want her new friend to come to harm.

She glances about herself for a brief moment as she lowers the glass vial, as if trying to figure out where to put it. Not wearing clothes kind of puts a damper on places to store things, and she hadn't the notion to wear saddlebags or anything up to this point. She instead decides to tuck it into her quiver, being extra careful to slide it down in there so it rests at the bottom for now, and she'd find a better place for it later. "Alyss thankful!" she said happilly, turning back to Zen. "Zen-koshu good friend, Alyss return favor, hopeful. Alyss get food, medicine, lots things. Little sad, not give present Zen-koshu. Alyss try think, maybe get later. Zen-koshu maybe already have lots things, magic, song, medicine, bow. Alyss help, someday."

"Alyss leave soon, herd worry," she said after a moment, not really sounding like she actually wanted to. "Alyss scout, only one. Try not leave, long time, herd worry. Alyss not strongest, but not scared, so scout."

Zen started to gather the bowls and put them away in the basket. "I didn't give it to you in hopes of getting something in return, Alyss. There is no reason to feel sad. The fact that you like it, is gift enough." She paused as she reached to the platter of fruits.

"Would you like to take the fruits home with you? A snack for the road? Always important for a scout to have snacks." She offered up a cheerful smile to the centaur, ever thankful to have met someone this kind in a place where she knew no one.

She looks really happy to hear that, actually. "Oh! Yes, Zen-koshu done? Alyss take, eat. Maybe save for herd, but not promise. Maybe gone before home." She doesn't look even remotely like she feels bad about it, either. She does look thoughtful for a second, her ears lowering but not going fully-flat like they had been when she's been upset before. "See Zen-koshu again? Or leave, home? Alyss listen, remember, can leave. But come back, see Alyss, maybe herd?" She hasn't made any effort to get up, yet, herself.

"I'll be staying at that inn for the foreseeable future, so we can spend time together whenever we have the time too do so." Zen reassured Alyss with a smile.

"Perhaps next time we can go for a walk, or maybe do some archery together. It is very nice to have at least one friend in a place where I know no one."

She opens her mouth to speak, apparently with a great deal of energy... and then just kind of sits there with her mouth hanging open, as a thought apparently comes over her and prevents her from actually forming words. Her ears flatten the rest of the way down for only a second or two as she closes her mouth, but then she quickly shakes it off and gives a firm nod, instead. "Alyss good, archery. Ymir tournaments, Alyss go! Not win, but go! Sohese'tsunairade win, all time. Too good, better, all." She smiles. "Zen-koshu, friend. Glad still be here, see again."

Zen finished putting the bowls and other picnic bits away and climbed to her feet, offering Alyss a hand to help her up, even though the notion of this skinny little elf helping up a huge centaur woman was a little laughable. It was a force of habit.

"Travel safely back to your herd, Alyss. I hope we see each other again soon." Honestly, her attempt to help Alyss up was 100% useless. The difference in mass was simply too much, but it was the thought that counts, right?

Alyss is considerate enough to at least make it seem like she's being helped but, but this concept is strained a little bit by the fact that she has a very cumbersome method of getting to all four of her feet, basically needing to go through the process of sitting down in reverse, and being careful about where she's putting her hooves on the return trip upwards. She does hold Zen's hand the whole time, though, until she's all the way back up again, and holds carefully onto the remainder of the fruit for herself. "Alyss careful," she said. "Rabite Forest, most safe, little animals. Sometimes threat, but herd safe. Centaur numbers, strength, protect all." She pauses briefly, regarding Zen for a moment. "Zen big numbers, others protect, too?"

"Well, sort of. Where I'm from we normally work in teams of six, but I'm here alone at the moment, but I'll be safe, I'm probably not going to be leaving the city all that often, at least for now. So you don't need to worry about me." She said as she picked up the blanket and gave it a quick shake to knock off any crumbs or dirt before she folded it and tucked it back into her pack.

"I'll see you again soon Alyss. Take care of yourself." She offered the centaur a smile as she collected her things.

She nods again, seemingly content with that reasoning. "Okay!" she said. "Alyss go, but see again. Promise!" She would wave if she weren't holding onto that bowl of fruit with both hands, and simply grins at her new friend instead, before turning and trotting her happy little self back up toward the south gate of Truce and into the city proper.

After finishing collecting her things, Zen made her way back into town at a significantly slower pace, taking the time to enjoy the fields and the breeze before heading back to the inn she would be staying at for...who knew how long.